TWO long-range efforts in the first half from Player of the Match Chelsea Penny were enough for Linnets Ladies to make it a maximum seven wins in the Cheshire Women’s League - maintaining top spot with now a four-point advantage over Crewe Alexandra.

On a damp, cold and very windy Sunday afternoon in Manchester, Linnets Ladies players and management had before kick-off joined hosts Wythenshawe in remembering The Fallen with an impeccable minute’s silence.

Manager Julie Makin again changed the team around with Lorna Bratt slotting in at left back; Mary Rossiter-Gurrell moving to right back and Steph Hamel making her “debut” on the left wing after re-signing for the Linnets, 18 months after leaving to travel the world.

Chelsea Penny and Mandy Kennedy formed the central midfield pairing with Tempany Carlson on the right while Georgie Turton partnered Megan Pickering up front.

The home side started the brighter, creating an early chance but shooting against the foot of a post after four minutes for Tish Collins to clear.

The Linnets began to win midfield and defensive battles but final balls to the strikers were repeatedly over-hit. The wind didn’t help, increasing pace on the ball, however the front two were also a little static at times - making it easy for the defenders.

Wythenshawe grew into the game, hitting the woodwork three more times in a five-minute spell midway through the half.

Weathering the storm, Linnets started to regain composure to take a 33rd-minute lead.

Pickering held up play out wide to await support before finding Penny whose powerful shot from 28 yards had the ’keeper well beaten at her top right corner.

The impressive Hamel should have increased the lead two minutes later but headed wide from six yards.

The advantage was duly doubled in the 40th minute with Penny hitting another “blinder”, Mandy Kennedy having created space for the scorer to unleash a dipping shot from distance.

Turton was replaced by Marcia Jones-Sacharewicz as the second half got under way. Now playing into the wind, Linnets Ladies needed to control the ball better.

Carlson soon cut inside from the right after good play by Rossiter-Gurrell, but fired wide.

Bratt, Collins, Sadie Bond and Rossiter-Gurrell defended well, as the home side in turn struggled with the conditions.

Carlson, Pickering and Jones-Sacharewicz all missed really good opportunities after good work by Kennedy and Penny. On 65 minutes, Kim Roberts replaced Pickering, who’d had a quiet game by her standards.

With 20 minutes left, Roberts was played in by Penny but missed out in a 1v1 with the out-rushing ’keeper, after looking favourite.

Wythenshawe pulled a goal back, largely due to a quickly-taken throw-in awarded to the home side when clearly it should have gone to the visitors. The Linnets had been caught cold and were still arguing their case.

The final stages were then, predictably, very nervy with Linnets Ladies not helping themselves with poor first touches and by losing possession in the wet conditions.

Keeper Nat Pinnington was called in to action with a good full-stretch save in the 83rd minute before doing even better with a top-class one-handed diving effort from a rasping drive, which she hadn’t seen until late.

At the final whistle, the relief from the Linnets contingent was clear - this had been by far their toughest game of the season so far.

Linnets Ladies: Pinnington (capt); Bratt, Collins, Bond, Rossiter-Gurrell; Hamel, Kennedy, Penny, Carlson; Pickering (Roberts), Turton (Jones-Sacharewicz). Subs (not used): Charlotte Dunbebin, Gabby Evans, Nichola Hyland.

This Sunday, Linnets Ladies have a week off from league action but entertain Neston Nomads in the pre-qualifying round of the Cheshire FA Ladies Cup at the Millbank Linnets Stadium (kick off 1pm).